This chicken salad recipe is one of my favorites—it makes a delicious quick lunch or dinner.
Chicken, mayonnaise, a few add-ins and some seasonings come together to create a creamy salad or filling for a homemade chicken salad sandwich or wrap!

Chicken Salad Ingredients
- Chicken: I most often use rotisserie chicken, but leftover chicken of almost any kind, including grilled chicken, can be used. If using canned chicken, mix all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl and then gently fold in the drained canned chicken.
- Add-ins: Since this is a classic chicken salad recipe, I add celery for crunch and green onion for flavor.
- Dressing: Mayonnaise adds a creamy texture, while simple seasonings add flavor.
Variations
- Add dill or other fresh herbs.
- Lighten it up a bit by replacing half of the mayo with Greek yogurt.
- Change the flavor by adding ranch dressing.
- Dress it up with add-ins like chopped apples, grapes, or chopped nuts such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans.

How to Make Chicken Salad
Prepare this classic chicken salad recipe in just 15 minutes with only a few simple ingredients.
- Chop cooked and cooled chicken and place into a large bowl with celery and onions.
- Mix dressing ingredients (recipe below) in a bowl. Toss with chicken.
- Serve on rolls, bread, or over a bed of lettuce.
Serving Suggestions
- This chicken salad sandwich recipe can be served on any type of bread, including a croissant. I love to lightly toast the bread.
- Serve it with crackers for snacking.
- Spoon it over greens or into lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.

Storing Leftovers
Refrigerator: Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.
Freezer: Prepared chicken salad doesn’t freeze well however, to prep ahead, dice the chicken and freeze it it. When ready to make the salad, combine the thawed chicken with the remaining ingredients below for a quick lunch!
More Favorite Sandwiches
This chicken salad recipe is a favorite lunch or light dinner. Here are more easy sandwiches that top our list!

Classic Chicken Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chopped chicken or shredded chicken
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 rib celery diced
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or ¼ teaspoon dried dill, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add chicken, mayonnaise, celery, green onion, mustard, salt, pepper, and dill if using. Mix well to combine.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Serve as a sandwich or over salad.
Video
Notes
- 1 cup chopped red grapes or 1 cup chopped peeled apple
- 2 tablespoons chopped nuts (pecans or almonds)
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Best Chicken Salad Ever!
This was the chicken salad I grew up on, only we used chopped dill pickles with a couple tbls pickle juice. Also added nuts , mostly almonds or pine nuts. Sometimes a little sour cream with mayo.
thank you very much for this recipe Holly I enjoy it very much I do use the canned chicken a lot it’s just convenient I will try it with rotisserie chicken when I buy one but it is delicious I love a lot of your recipes
Best chicken salad recipe hands down! I doubled the recipe, used half mayo, half regular yogurt, also didn’t have green onions, used shallots instead, and for the seasoned salt, I used salt+kinders blend.. VERY DELISH!
So simple and delicious, especially with fresh dill! Thanks!
t.y for my chicken salad recepie.
You’re welcome! I am glad you enjoyed it.
This chicken salad is one of my go-to favorites! It’s the perfect quick and delicious meal for lunch or dinner. Easy to whip up and packed with flavor—what’s not to love?
Sigh!
What’s with this obsession with cups and spoons? Are all cups and spoons the same size?
A button to choose the metric system used by more than 96% of the world might improve the appreciation of your recipes by an international readership. Using grams all over might also improve US cuisine.
Thank you for your message! A cup is a volume measurement of 240ml. I use cups and spoons because they’re the most common measurements for the majority of my audience. I understand that the metric system is widely used around the world, but my focus is on keeping recipes simple and approachable for my readers.
Yes, a cup and a teaspoon are both units of measurement here. And therefore are consistently the same volume when used in recipes
I agree, it would be nice if the whole world used the same measuring system, unfortunately it is not the case. Most of us have learned to use conversion charts, but maybe you should look for something a little easier. I hope you can find something you are able to follow. Maybe you could find someone to help you with this, it really is an excellent recipe.
Had no flavor. Sorry
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!! Winner winner!! Try this recipe! I promise you will eat the entire bowl!!!
This was epic!
I used canned chicken (from Costco), spicy brown mustard (didn’t have Dijon), and a mix of chopped chives and white onion — and it turned out beautiful! Love!
Best chicken salad recipe! Easy to pull together, make exactly as stated. Creamy and fresh tasting, family loved it. Thank you!
This is my go to chicken salad. Always comes out perfect!
Can sweet relish go in it and if you dont hsve celery csn you use green peppers
Sure you can! Both sound like delicious additions!
Excellent recipe. I added a gala apple and slivered almonds – left out the dill but added celery seed in it’s place. It was delicious and my husband just loved it. To use up leftover bread I had I made an open face sandwich on a bun and broiled a slice of cheddar on top. Doesn’t need it but it sure was good.
This is the best chicken salad recipe i have ever ate. Simple, but the perfect flavor. Obviously for folks that don’t care for grapes and fruit in their chicken salad, which i do not, so. The only recipe i use for it! Awesome!
EXACTLY!! Simple but bursting with flavor it makes your mouth water after first tasting! OMG
Can you use miracle whip instead of mayo?
Yes, miracle whip is great for this recipe.
Will it taste just as good if i use yellow mustard? I’m not a huge Dijon fan. Thanks for the recipe!!
Yes, yellow mustard is a great substitution!